1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector and, more particularly, to an electrical connector for terminating a flexible printed circuit board or the like.
2. The Related Art
Nowadays, Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) boards are widely used in many kinds of electronic devices for their high flexibility and thin structure. Accordingly, connectors for connecting the FPC boards to other electrical components of the electronic devices are mass-employed.
One example of the connectors of the prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2002/0106924 published on Aug. 8, 2002. The connector includes contacts each having a contact portion to be brought into contact with the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, a block for holding and fixing the contacts therein, and a slider mounted on the block. Two pivotal engagement recesses are formed on the opposite lateral sides of the block. Bearing portions are located in front of the pivotal engagement recesses. The slider comprises camshaft portions pivotally mounted in the pivotal engagement recesses to permit the slider to move pivotally and horizontally relative to the block and an urging portion causing the flexible printed circuit board (FPC) or flexible flat cable (FFC) to urge against contact portions of contacts. Each contact further comprises a guiding portion for guiding the movement of the slider.
In assembly, at first, open the slider and insert the external flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable between the contact portions and the guiding portions of the contacts. Then, rotate the slider to be closed. Under the engagement of the camshafts and the bearing portions and the guiding of the guiding portions of the contacts, the urging portion of the slider is rotated to a horizontal position and simultaneously move forward between the guiding portions and the external flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable. When the slider is rotated to a closed horizontal position, the urging portion of the slider is entirely inserted between the guiding portions and the external flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable. In the result, the guiding portions of the contacts prop downwardly the top surface of the slider and the slider prop downwardly the external flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable, therefore the external flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable is mechanically and electrically connected with the electrical connector.
In the assembly of the electrical connector, the urging portion of the slider tends to move rearward because the external flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable props the urging portions of the slider rearward. However, the bearing portions of the block restrain the camshaft portions from moving rearward, therefore the middle part of the urging portion is prone to be extracted out between the guiding portions of the contacts and the external flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable so that the urging portion can not effectively prop against the external flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable. As a result, the external flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable can not be retained reliably in the electrical connector.
Furthermore, the rotation of the slider and the horizontal movement of the slider happen on the same time, therefore the guiding portions of the contacts are prone to be fatigued for too seriously biased by the urging portion of the slider so that the guiding portions can not effectively prop against the urging portion of the slider, with the result that the external flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable can not be retained stably and reliably.
Hence, an improved connector for connecting an external FPC board is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.